Game apparatus.



G. W. L. EDWARDS.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 24, 1908.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

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WITNES'ES:

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GEORGE W. L. EDWARDS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAM'E APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed February 24, 1908. Serial No. 417,424.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. L. ED- WARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a game, composed of a series of stacks of colored cards having respectively the letters of the alphabet thereon. The AZ letters of the alphabet appear on one card in the shape of a monogram as also E on another card. These cards constitute some of the value cards of the game in the playing thereof. Vowel cards of like color immediately preceding consonants have particular value in several forms of this game. Thisfhowever, is optionalwith the players. The success of the game is not dependent upon one card, but upon the play of the entire twenty-five cards of each. alphabet set. The customary manner of playing this game is to use live sets of twenty-five cards each,

two red, two blue and one yellow or other colors, if preferred, and with suificient duplicates to prevent any blocking of the game.

The game apparatus of my invention, consists of one hundred and forty-five cards, with extra cards for vowels e, i, o and u, and extra AZ cards. An i-Z card is used at both ends of the stack as well as at the end of the game. Hence the name Azee for defining this game, because it embraces the alpha and omega thereof. Any number of players from two to twenty-four can play the game. The playing of this game is to the table upon five stacks starting with an Azee card, used as an A.

My invention will be better understood from the accompanying drawing showing in top or plan a board with the display cards positioned and arranged thereon, taken in connection with the description of a pack of cards and the preferred manner of playing the game, as hereinafter described. My in.- vention is however, not limited to the specific embodiment as illustrated, because such serves only to define characteristic main features of the same.

Referring to the drawing 1, is a discard receptacle located in the center of the board 2.

3 represents the five A-Z cards to be played to the board by the respective players designated by the numerals 5, 6, 7 and 8.

4 is a stack of reserve cards to replenish players hands.

9 represents the four reserve hands displayed alined in iles of five upon the board.

Each player was a designated Azee card before him or her on the board to denote the position of such player at the board 2. The play is governed by the number of cards used.

To play the game of Azee based on a partner game of four, the cards are shuffled and dealt five cards face up to each player, for the reserve 9. Then five cards face down for his or her hand. The first person immediately after the dealer plays an Azee card to the table, see illustration, or as many As as the person may have in hand, until the player without sequence cards is compelled to pass so that the next player can play and so on until five Azee cards have been played to the board, with due regard to the respective playing to the reserve, as necessary. After an A-Z card has been played to the table, the player keeps on playmg consecutively," letter cards irrespective of the color of such cards. W hen the player has finished playing to the table, such person has the privilege of playing back onto the reserve in front of the player, irrespective of the color of the cards held by such player. After cards have been played to the reserve such player must discard one card in the center of the board 2, upon the discard pile 1, face up. The discard is the last act the player does in the course of the play. The game then proceeds, with the plays of the next player in regular order and continuing the play of consecutive letters upon stacks of cards already started. These acts being carried on as to the other players in the partner game, until the game is finished.

The cards that c0unt.-The vowel cards are marked in the center as to respective values so as to count for the player. A vowel card must be played on a like colored card immediately preceding such card played, viz :a blue E, on a blue D, and a yellow 0, on a yellow N etc. Each player, however, retains the privilege of playing to the table 2, as long as such player can do so consecrtively, after which such player has the privilege of playing to the reserve backward so long as he or she can and can also be given a new hand, as often as called for by the player. The last act of the player is a discard of a card face up to the common discard pile 1, in the center of the board 2. After five stacks have been started with Azee cards upon the board, the rest of the AZ cards in the pack can be played to a vacant space in the reserve, provided the player has a space to insure possession, at the end of the game.

Considerable skill is required for handling the reserve of this game. The playing of an Azee card, as an A, counts ten points in the game and a vowel card E, 20 points; a vowel card I, 10 points; a vowel card 0, 20 points; and a vowel card U, 10 points. The playing of an Azee card upon a Y, of the same color counts in the game 20 points. 2-50 points constitutes a game of progressive Azee, but the game can be played simply to complete five stacks and with the last Azee card played, as an A-Z card. The greatest number of points made during the completion of the five stacks constitutes the player winner of the interesting and instructive game.

designating values, some of which values are diiierent from others, and an extra Azee' card corresponding in value to certain of said vowel cards, substantially as and for the purposes described;

2. A game apparatus, comprising five packs of twenty-five alphabet cards, extra cards of certain denominations for the alphabet vowels and Azee cards, the values whereoi'correspond with certain of the other cards, substantially as and for the purposes described.

Inv witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribmg WEDESSGSi GEORGE w. L. EDWARDS.

Witnesses TnouAs M. SMITH, l VILHELM Voo'r. 

